Father-daughter dance
by Lorelei Candice Black
Summary: After the second movie. Auradon holds a Father-Daughter dance and Mal feels sad because she has to go but doesn't have a father to dance with. Ben wants to help her.


**_Father-Daughter Dance_**

 _Descendants_

 _After the second movie_

 _It's time for Auradon's annual Father-Daughter dance. Mal's feeling sad and Evie can't help because she's away for the week._

* * *

Mal knew that she had to go to this ball, it was expected of her as Ben's girlfriend, especially after she became Lady Mal to the court and the entire kingdom, even though she didn't have a father to dance with. She couldn't really complain, Evie had made her a very pretty dress and Ben would be there with her, except that every one of her friends from school would have their fathers present and would be able to dance with them. She'd be all alone, without a father, not even knowing who he is or if he's even alive.

Would he have liked going to this kind of event? Would he have wanted to dance with her? Would he be proud of her in a way her mother never could be?

It had never bothered her much, the fact that she didn't have a father, at least not until now. Now, everyone around her spoke of this Ball and how they were excited to dance with their fathers, some of them even having matching outfits (she knew that well because Evie had designed and made several of them before she left for two weeks).

"Are you okay, Mal?" Ben asked her, always knowing when she was feeling down.

The two of them were spending some time alone in the gardens of Beast Castle. It was Friday afternoon and the Ball took place the next day, so Mal was invited to stay at Beast Castle, as was more and more the case on the week ends or during vacations. She even had her own bedroom at the Castle, it was next to Ben's and Belle had let her personalize it (the two of them had gone shopping together one afternoon and Mal had loved getting closer to her boyfriend's mother, especially since she seemed to like Mal a lot more than she had liked Audrey). Mal was often invited to stay with them during the weekends, whenever she wasn't away with Ben at least, her name was even permanently written on the bedroom's door, making it hers.

None of them noticed Belle and her husband passing by, behind them. They were just about to keep walking but Belle, being a bit curious, decided to spy a little to see what was wrong with Mal. Indeed, they had both noticed that the purple haired girl seemed to be a bit sad when she and Ben arrived earlier and they wanted to see how they could help. They liked Mal and wanted her to know it and to feel well and welcome in their home.

"Yes, of course." She forced a big smile on his face.

There was nothing he could do to change things, so she didn't want to burden him with this. It's not like he could clap his hands and find out who her father was.

"I know you're lying now. You've been down this week, is it because of the Ball?" He asked her.

Ben wasn't stupid, he could guess why Mal would feel sad about going to a Ball that celebrated Fathers and daughters, he had even expected her to feel down about it, he wanted to help her, to be there for her but she always tried to keep these feelings for herself.

"You know me well." She smiled.

"I could always make an excuse if you don't want to go. We could say that we're sick and stay here, watch movies and eat pop corn." he offered.

"No, I... It's hard to explain... I want to go, because I surprisingly love going to dances and Balls with you, it's just... You know... I don't even know my father's name or if he's even still alive. All I've ever been told by my mother is that he was human and weak. I mean, it was my mother speaking so _weak_ probably meant _capable of love_ and _goodness_ but still... Everyone is talking about this Ball and their fathers..." She tried to explain.

"It makes you miss your own father without even knowing who he is. And since Evie's away for the next two weeks with that fashion event, she's not attending this ball and you have nobody in the same situation to confide in. Carlos is going as Jane's date but boys don't dance with their fathers or mothers there..." He nodded.

"Exactly."

"Are you sure you want to go? We could plan something else for tomorrow." He offered, always willing to make her happy.

"You have to go, you're the king. It's expected of you. Don't worry, I'll be fine and I want to go so I can dance with you." She insisted before she kissed him.

From their hiding spot, Belle and her husband looked at each other and went back to their own walk.

"We were going to go anyway, right?" Beast asked his wife.

"Of course." She smiled, knowing what he had in mind.

"She's family, we both know they're never breaking up. They're perfect for each other. It's time we let Mal know just how important she is to this family." Beast told his wife.

"I'll see if we can make a few changes to your suit to match the colors on Mal's dress." Belle told him with a smile.

"Good idea." He smiled.

"I'm sure that if we call Evie, she'll take a few minutes to advise us." Belle added.

.

The next day, Mal got ready during the afternoon and did her best not to think about the several Father-daughter dances that would be held throughout the entire evening or about the fact that while other girls would walk in with their fathers, she's have no other choice but to walk in with her boyfriend, making her stand out and feel even more different than she was used to feeling. Ben came to pick her up in front of her bedroom, right next to his, and, along with Belle and the Beast, they drove to the Ball.

"You look beautiful tonight, Mal." Beast complimented his son's girlfriend.

"Thanks. I think Evie's dress does most of the work." She replied with a blush, noticing the small hints of purple on his suite.

She didn't know if it was intentional that they were matching but she smiled, happy.

"Oh, I disagree. I think the girl in the dress is the one doing most of the work." Ben contradicted her, making her blush even harder.

They kept to small talk until the limousine parked in front of the place where the Ball was taking place. Of course there were journalists there and Mal was nervous. She had heard Audrey say that the father usually escorted his daughter inside. Already he could see Jane walking inside on her father's arm while Carlos walked by Fairy Godmother behind them.

The door was opened and Ben was the first one out, followed by his mother, his father and, finally, Mal. She was expecting for Ben to hold out his arm to her but she was surprised when Beast offered her his.

"Mal, if I may?" He asked her.

"I... Are you sure?" She asked, surprised, as she eyed the paparazzi that would take pictures of them.

"Of course." he smiled.

"Thank you." She smiled brightly with a soft blush, accepting Beast's arm and letting him guide her inside while Ben followed with his mother.

Of course the journalists took many pictures, filmed them and asked a few questions. As usual, the family stopped to answer a few of them, feeling that it was part of their duty to answer a few questions for the press.

"King Beast, are you the one escorting Lady Mal tonight? Are you taking on the role of her father for this Ball?" They asked.

"Of course I am. Mal is part of the family, I'm lucky enough that she'll be my daughter in law some day. I don't see why I'd deprive myself of the honor of showing everyone that I'm proud of being the one she'll dance the father-daughter dances with." Beast replied, surprising Mal once more and making her very happy.

"Mal, did Evie design this dress for you?" Another journalist asked her.

"Of course, she did. I don't think she'd let me wear anything else." Mal replied, making a few journalists chuckle.

"Ben, how does it feel to know that your father is escorting your girlfriend tonight?"

"I'm happy, of course. Never been happier." He assured them.

"Mal, do you know anything about your real father?" They asked and Mal's face dropped a little for a second before she caught herself and replied:

"I just know what little my mother told me, which was never much. She only spoke about him when she was angry or really disappointed in me, and all she ever said was that he was weak and human, that she hated him and that being like him wasn't an option if I wanted to stay in her good graces. Knowing her, weak probably means good or capable of love though. That's all I know of him. I wasn't allowed to ask her more. I don't know his name, what he looks like or if he's even still alive." Mal replied.

"Now if you'll excuse us, we need to get inside." Beast cut it short, feeling that they'd ask more questions about this and that Mal wasn't up to it.

"I... It really means a lot to me that you're doing this for me." Mal told Beast as they were presented to the other guests together.

"I meant what I told the journalists, Mal. You're family. I'm honored to play the part of your father tonight. Plus, at least you laugh at my jokes, Ben doesn't. At least you get my humor." He told her with a smile.

"Because I've already heard them all." Ben added with a teasing smile for his father.

"No, I'm pretty sure Mal is the only one who gets my humor." Beast replied, making Belle and Mal chuckle.

It was true, Mal realized. Beast had a sense of humor that wasn't too different from hers and she didn't have to try too hard to get along with either Beast of Belle.

.

"Are you having fun, Mal?" Ben asked her an hour into the ball.

"Yes, I am. I'm really grateful of your father, for dancing with me." She replied.

"He likes you." Ben smiled.

"It's kind of funny, because my mother always said how good looking he was and how much of a waste it was that Belle broke his curse. She always said that he had such great villain potential when he was a beast." Mal told her boyfriend.

"She did?" He asked her, surprised.

"Yes, she said a few times that she would have loved to work with him back when he was a beast, that he had great potential. She hates your mother for breaking his curse and turning him good." Mal chuckled.

"I don't think my father knows that Maleficent things of him that way." He shook his head, amused.

"You can tell him next time you want to embarrass him." Mal added.

"Good idea." Ben chuckled.

.

The rest of the evening went well for Mal, her boyfriend and his parents. They danced, ate, had fun with friends and Mal didn't feel as different from the other girls as she thought she would. She felt, for one evening, just like any other girl, with a father. She could guess that her mother wouldn't like it but she didn't care, she did and she didn't care what her mother thought anymore anyway.

* * *

 _I know, it's short but it was never meant to be long. I hope you still liked it._

 _Merry Christmas._

 _Review for me, please?_

 _Lorelei Candice Black_


End file.
